


Ain't nothing but this carnival of rust

by Perching_Owl



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Battlefield, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Hurt, Implied Relationships, M/M, Whumptober 2020, can be read as either ship or gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:08:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26839486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Perching_Owl/pseuds/Perching_Owl
Summary: In the end, Felix doesn't even see Sylvain falling off his horse.What he hears though is a scream - loud and filled with surprise, fear underlying it. Felix knows that voice.His blood runs cold.
Relationships: Felix Hugo Fraldarius & Sylvain Jose Gautier, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18
Collections: Perching_Owl's Whumptober 2020 Collection





	Ain't nothing but this carnival of rust

**Author's Note:**

> Sixth fill for the [whumptober 2020](https://whumptober2020.tumblr.com/)! It's one of the few where I haven't collaborated with [Koco](https://twitter.com/KocosCollection), but check out her art for this day! 
> 
> No 6. PLEASE…: **“Get it Out”** | **No More** | **“Stop, please”** (I think I managed to touch on all prompts here)
> 
> Here is the [ Link](https://whumptober2020.tumblr.com/post/628055505485561856/whumptober-2020-updated) for the upcoming prompts.
> 
> Title taken from 'Carnival of rust' by Poets from the Fall.

Felix doesn't see the archer taking aim. 

He doesn't see the release of the arrow. 

He doesn't see it hitting its target. 

In the end, he doesn't even see Sylvain falling off his horse. 

What he hears though is a scream - loud and filled with surprise, fear underlying it. Felix knows that voice. 

His blood runs cold. 

Felix whirls around, eyes wild. He is ready to strike whoever has caused that scream. He has his sword raised, ready to attack, ready to cut a path to- His eyes widen. Where is-? No, that cannot be! 

A scream leaves his lips, pure rage, his heartbeat quickening. He rushes forward. Someone tries to hit him, he blocks it before slitting the soldier's throat. Blood splatters over his face, the chest piece, over his shoulders, leaving brown specks against the blue. He doesn't pay it any mind, not when- 

A horse comes galloping towards him, fierce and large, thundering past. His mouth goes dry. Felix knows that dark armour, the emblem on it. He knows it intimately. No. It cannot be- Sylvain promised- No. 

He howls again, a wordless scream, pure rage. The soldiers around him step backwards, frightened. He doesn't care for them. His blade is cutting them down anyway, carving a path and leaving bodies in its trail. He bears them no further thought as they hit the ground, eyes lifeless. 

He needs to get to- where was? If- Sylvain- no, no it cannot be! 

He cannot do this anymore, cannot bear if something has happened to Sylvain. 

Not this close to achieving victory. Not when Dimitri has a chance at ending this. Not in Enbarr. 

'Sylvain!' he roars. He cannot see him anymore. And he is off-horseback. Where had he seen him last in this godforsaken city? There are walls around him, high buildings, blocking him in. Where is Sylvain? 

Felix' gaze falls on the bridge Sylvain has been fighting at. 

But he doesn't see Sylvain. 

Even as he gets closer, leaving a trail of bodies behind him. 

Then he reaches the bridge. 

And he finds him. 

Sylvain is on the ground. Blood is spreading from where an arrow has pierced the skin so close to his throat. Blood is pooling beneath him, horrible choking sounds falling from his reddened lips. Blood is a stark contrast against his pale skin. 

Above him stands one last enemy, axe held high. Felix roars in anger, fury taking over as he rushes forward. He runs the soldier through, his sword piercing first armour then flesh, blood spewing everywhere. He pulls his blade free, uncaring for the dying breaths of the man. He has only eyes for Sylvain, who is struggling to breathe. His face is so pale, streaks of hair plastered to his forehead and caked with blood. Felix falls to his knees beside Sylvain, his own breath quickening, as he sees the wound on Sylvain's neck. 

His eyes meet Sylvain's. They are filled with pain, confused and unfocused. He tries to speak, but instead, he coughs, blood bubbling up from his lips, dripping over his chin, running over his cheeks. Sylvain reaches up, his gloved hands shaking.

'No, don't do that, you fool,' Felix tells him, slapping Sylvain's hand away. Instead, he reaches out, presses his own against the wound, trying to stem the flow of blood while not dislodging the arrow as not to cause more damage. His bangs fall into his eyes. He brushes them back, smearing red over his forehead. He pays it no mind. 

Sylvain whimpers, a sound so soft leaving his lips Felix isn't sure he has heard it. He reaches for the arrow again, his hand trembling. 'Get it out.' Sylvain's voice is rough, raspy. It's so unlike his usual happy-go-lucky tone, it's cutting straight into Felix' heart. 

'No,' Felix says, batting the other one's hand away again, 'I can't. It's going to bleed too much. Leave it be, Sylvain.' 

'Please,' Sylvain begs, eyes unfocused, breathing shallow, 'Please, can you make it stop-' 

'I can't-' Felix starts. He presses down harder, hoping he manages to stop the bleeding. Even if Sylvain whimpers again. He wishes he had picked up Mercy's healing skills, at least a little of them, hoping magic would knit Sylvain together. But he hasn't. It leaves him with pressing his hands to a wound, hoping the arrow doesn't injure Sylvain's throat further as he tries to control the bleeding. 

There is blood on his fingers. His hands are shaking. Sylvain makes another pained sound. There is nothing Felix can do to make this better. At least not with his action, but perhaps - if actions fail him, it might be time for words. As bad as he is at those. So he whispers instead, 'I'm sorry, it hurts, Sylvain.' 

'No,' Sylvain mutters, shaking his head, and Felix steadies his head, unthinking, trying to keep him from moving his neck too much. 

'No, stop looking like this- it's-' Sylvain breaks off, pain crossing his features again, something close to despair following along. His eyes flicker close. 

'Looking like what?' Felix asks, hoping to keep Sylvain talking, to keep him conscious. 

Opening his eyes, Sylvain mutters, 'Afraid.' After a moment he adds, 'my Felix doesn't look afraid.' 

'You fool,' Felix cries out. 'Don't you dare to die on me-' Not again, no more, he cannot lose even one more of his friends. He cannot lose Sylvain. No, everyone- but not Sylvain. His vision blurs, a tear slips down his cheeks. He brushes it away, mixing it with the blood there. 

'I'm sorry,' Sylvain mutters, '-messed it up.' 

'No, you didn't,' Felix murmurs back, 'You-' 

'I'm dying, and I'm sorry, we can't die together.' Sylvain is breathless, his eyes filled with pain, and tears slip from his eyes much more freely than they ever would from Felix' eyes. 'I hope- hope Dimitri-' he breaks off, then presses his mouth shut before staring at Felix, 'Don't want to think about him. Want to think about you.' 

'Don't you dare,' Felix growls, 'Don't you dare to say something stupid, and don't- don't go where I cannot follow you, not yet.' He looks up, tears in his eyes, over his cheeks, dripping down, and he screams for a healer. 

A hand comes to a rest on top of his, 'Felix.' Sylvain mutters, voice weak. 'I-' He breaks off, then smiles, 'You already know.' His eyes fall shut. 

'No, no, no- please,' Felix mutters, his other hand coming up to rest against Sylvain's cheek. He screams. 

He knows he must have. 

He looks up then, a wild look in his eyes.

In the distance he sees Mercedes hurrying towards them as Sylvain's breathing is growing shallower and shallower, blood seeping between Felix' fingers.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, kudos and constructive criticism appreciated :) Thank you for reading!


End file.
